Optical device.



. No. 839,016. i

' glA-FENT OFFI-on.l f-

. f Geenen memoriam, or PrnLnELPHrA, PENNSYLVANIA.

o irloAL DEVICE. i

Specification ofIettex-s Patent'.

Patented )ec. 1966.

Application filed November l, 1905. Serial No. 285,484.

To all whom it' may con/cern.-

e Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MACDON- ALD, a citizen of the'United States, residing appear transparent, although other novel and striking effects are produced by its use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure '1 shows a faceviewof the invention in a simple form. Fig. 2 is a transversesection. Fig. 3 shows the device mounted in a single case, Fig. 4 in a double case, and Fig.. 5 in a tube.l Fig. 6 shows in perspective a modified form of the invention. Figs. 7 and 8 showfurther modifications.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures.

Referring to Figs. land 2, l 2 represent l disks of opaque material, which may be of cardboard, celluloid, metal, or other vsubstance. Each of the said disks 'is centrally perforated, as at 3, and between the disks is placed a transparent or translucent medium 4. The latter is provided with fine parallel lines a, produced bya cutting, etching, pressing, or other operation, the said lines being adapted to run either horizontally or vertically with respect to the position in which the device is held or supported. The transparent or translucent medium 4 may be of glass,

and by preference is closely and immovably confined between two disks, as shown. Ho'wever, it is not essential that the transparent or translucent medium 4 shall be separate from the supporting or contiguous disk or disks, as the whole, as seen in Fig. 5, may

. be made of the same material, the central portion at 3 only being transparent or transucent and rovided With fine parallel lines, as described while the remaining portion of the disk or disks may be painted or in other manner rendered opaque.

In producing the illusory effect or phenomena hereinafter described the device, if used in its single form-as shown, for exam-l ple, inl Figs. l and 2-is held up to the eye by the hand, or if in the double form (shown in Fig. 4) may be suv ported in front of both eyes as a spectac e or eyeglass. It will be found on looking through the device held up against the light that, due to the refraction consequent upon the presence of the parallel lines a, an opaque object, as the human hand, placed somewhat behind the instrument will appear transparent and an apparent extension of objects beyond the hand and in the field Will be visible. Many other and varied phenomena are obtained by the use of my invention. By turning the instrument one-quarter of a revolution from one point each line from vertical to horizontal will be shown through the intervening solid, provided one or both ends project into the eld of vision.

It is obvious that my invention is capable of utilization in a variety of forms. As a toy it will be found highly entertaining. The directions for use may appear upon the face of one of the disks, while'the reverse disk or side of the device may be advantageously used to contain advertising matter.

Thus while I have preferably described my invention as embodying an opaque substance having a portion of its surface removed and furnished with a transparent or translucent medium provided with fine 'parallel lines, it is within my invention, broadly, to employ a transparent or translucent medium alone having such lines either in a circumscribed area or extending entirely across the body. Under this form of my invention, as seen in Figs. 7 and 8, the device is made of a transparent or translucent material having .the parallel lines a. isinglass, gelatin, or other suitable substance f Having thus described my invention, I claimc l. A device for producing the optical illusion of causing a solid body to appear transparent or translucent or the phenomena described, consisting in centrally perforated opaque disks having interposed between them a transparent or translucent body provided with ne parallel lines, substantially as set forth.

2. A device for causing the optical illusion of making opaque objects appear transparent, comprising a trans arent or translucent member having a su ace thereof formed,

IOO

throughout its o erative portion, of a phll In testimony whereof I aHix hereto my rality of fine para lel reecting and refractng signature in presence of tWo Witnesses. surfaces separated by intervening plane surfaces arranged to change the direction of GEORGE W MACDONALD' 5 some of the rays of light passing through the Witnesses:

member from the field of View toward which J AY R. GRIER, it may be directed, substantially es set forth. i CHAS. C. COLLIER. 

